Since Arizona sports betting went legal in 2021, bettors have wagered more than $11 billion. Participation has not slowed down for a minute.
“The numbers tell us that Arizona’s probably one of the healthiest sports betting markets in the country,” said Steve Bittenbender, an analyst for BetArizona.com.
Bittenbender says a proliferation of sports betting apps and onsite sportsbooks popping up around the Valley near Phoenix has led to an explosion of action.
“Sporting events that really attract the bettors are pro football and pro basketball, that’s what really drives it,” Bittenbender told ABC 15 Arizona.
According to the numbers, the next three to four months will deliver the year’s highest revenues. So far the state has snagged $50 million since betting began. The lion’s share of all the bets is being made from our phones.
Mo Jones relies on apps to bet on sports in Arizona, football and basketball. But he doesn’t do it at the expense of brick and mortar sportsbooks like the one in Chase Field.
“Actually getting the physical cash right in your hand, it brings a little bit more joy to it,” Jones said.
On the other side of the coin, calls to hotlines from people looking for problem gambling help are also going up and up. One study by the National Council of Problem Gambling showed around 16 percent of online gamblers met the clinical criteria for a gambling disorder. Even so, the risk for the state has been well worth the reward.
